by Tonja Taylor 
9/12/2021 / Womens Interest
"Always, suck in your stomach," stated a women's magazine I read a couple decades ago or more.
The point was, to have the best feminine profile (and this wasn't even about strengthening one's core), you should be conscious throughout your day to suck in your stomach, making it appear as flat as possible.
I did that for a few years, but as I started growing closer to God, that kind of thing became much less important. I do exercise regularly and stay in shape, but I ask the LORD daily to make me sensitive to His Spirit and to help my family and me to be God-conscious much more than body-conscious.
In other words, instead of being concerned with how I look, I want to pray for other people, governments, and countries, and my loved ones and myself; be interested in and put my efforts and time toward eternal things, spiritual things. It is the spiritual things that really matter!
After all, we are spirits with souls, that live in a body. Our bodies are not who we are, praise the LORD, no matter how beautiful, shapely, or strong!
And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God]; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).--I Thess. 5:23, AMPC
When the time comes, our spirits will depart our bodies (which will turn to dust, until they are resurrected at the return of the LORD Jesus Christ (Revelation 19), and go to Heaven to be with the LORD (if we're born again by receiving the LORD Jesus Christ), or to hell to be eternally separated from Him (if one has not received Jesus as Savior and LORD).
Truly, this life is "but a vapor" compared to Eternity, for God and Heaven are outside of time as we know it.
It's great to look nice, and have others admire us. However, our confidence should be not in the admiration of people (which can change and fail often!), but in the love of the LORD--Who created us and loves us faithfully and unchangingly, no matter what! Hallelujah!
I hope you'll join me in not being nearly as concerned with "sucking in your stomach" (read: being concerned with appearance and what others think) as you are about spending time with your Heavenly Father, Who adores and delights in you, and who loves it when you pray--talk to Him!
So let's change our motto to: "Always (staying in an attitude of consciousness and worship of God; talking to Him in your heart, and out loud as He leads), pray!" as I Thes. 5:16-18, ESV states: "16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
Speaking of that, how about praying right now? Go for it! Your Daddy God is waiting to hear from you!
Tonja K. Taylor is a joyful, free worshiper, teacher, author, wife, and mother who adores helping others know the sweet faithfulness of God. Through her YouTube channel, "River Rain Creative" and other platforms, she tutors people around the world in faith, worship, writing, English, and more.
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